- present participle of fascinate.
fascinating
Americanadjective
adjective
-
arousing great interest
-
enchanting or alluring
a fascinating woman
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fascinating
First recorded in 1640–50; fascinat(e) + -ing 2
Explanation
Something fascinating really captures your interest: you can't take your eyes off it or can't wait to learn more about it. To a sports fan, a basketball game may be fascinating, including the smallest details, like who got the most assists and what kind of defense was played. Music fans find concerts fascinating. Many people think politics is fascinating — they can't get enough TV and magazine stories about the latest political events. Whatever you think is fascinating, it must really hold your attention: you always want to see and know more.
Vocabulary lists containing fascinating
12 More Interesting Ways to Say "interesting"
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Pay Attention! Synonyms for "Interesting"
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As for the expenses: We already knew that AI infrastructure spending is off the charts, but the details in the Anthropic prospectus make for some fascinating reading.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
This remake of a cult curio from the 1970s barely made a ripple at the box office, but it’s one of the most fascinating horror films of the year with its commentary on online culture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026
Dr. Federico Morelli of the University of Turin, a co-author of the study, said the unanswered question is one of the discovery's most fascinating aspects.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
"It will be a fascinating game on Tuesday," French football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Sport's Euro Leagues podcast.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
It should have clashed but instead it was fascinating.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
